Editor's Note: Associated Press reporter Ron Word has witnessed more than 50 Florida executions since 1984, including all 20 the state has conducted by lethal injection.JACKSONVILLE, Florida (AP) -- It seemed like Angel Nieves Diaz would never die.
Two executioners injected him with three chemicals that were supposed to do the job in a few minutes.
But 10 minutes later, he was still alive, his eyes darting back at the 25 witnesses.
Diaz shuddered several times, but continued moving and breathing for nearly half an hour.
He finally died 34 minutes after the execution began.
I've witnessed all 20 lethal injections in Florida.
In most cases, the inmate is unconscious in three to five minutes and dies in 10 to 15 minutes.
But Diaz, who was condemned for shooting the manager of a Miami topless club in 1979, needed a rare second dose of chemicals Wednesday before dying.
Seconds after the chemicals began flowing, Diaz looked up, blinked several times and appeared to be mouthing words, perhaps a prayer, some suggested.
A minute later, he began grimacing, later licking his lips and blowing. He appeared to move for 24 minutes after the first injection.
In most Florida executions, witnesses have little to watch. No talking is allowed, and the only sound comes from a noisy window air conditioner.
First, the official witnesses take seats in the first two rows. Reporters are assigned the back two rows.
Then brown drapes separating the witness room windows from the execution chamber are opened. The inmate can be seen strapped to a gurney, IV tubes running into each arm and a sheet pulled up to below his chin. Plastic tubes extend through a hole in the wall where the two executioners, who are paid $150 in cash each, wait for a signal from the warden to begin.
Lethal injections are done in the same room where Florida's famous electric chair "Old Sparky" was used to electrocute 44 inmates after the state resumed executions in 1979 following a 15-year hiatus.
Florida later switched to lethal injection because two inmates' heads caught fire during executions in the 1990s and another suffered a severe nose bleed in 2000.
After the curtains open, the warden asks if the inmate has a final statement.
A microphone hanging from the ceiling picks up the condemned person's last words.
In a faint voice, Diaz proclaimed his innocence in Spanish and criticized the way he was being put to death.
"The death penalty is not only a form of vengeance, but also a cowardly act by humans," he said. "I'm sorry for what is happening to me and my family who have been put through this."
In October, Gainesville serial killer Danny Rolling sang a spiritual song.
In 2002, Aileen Wuornos, a prostitute who killed six customers, predicted that she would somehow be back.
After the statement, the warden nods, signaling for the chemicals to begin flowing. Two medical professionals watch a heart monitor attached to the inmate. When it shows no activity, they emerge wearing strange-looking "moon suits," which cover them from head to toe.
Corrections officials say it is to protect their identity.
After checking for a pulse and shining a flashlight in the inmate's eyes, one of them nods to the warden, who notifies the governor and makes the final announcement: "The sentence of the state of Florida vs. Angel Diaz has been carried out at 6:36 p.m. Please exit to the rear of the room."
Department of Corrections spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger said she doesn't believe Diaz felt any pain and had liver disease, which required the second dose.
"It was not unanticipated. The metabolism of the drugs to the liver is slowed," Plessinger said.
Diaz's cousin Maria Otero said the family had never heard he suffered from liver disease.
"Why a stupid second dose?" Otero said.
Gov. Jeb Bush said the Department of Corrections followed all protocols.
"A preexisting medical condition of the inmate was the reason tonight's procedure took longer than recent procedures carried out this year," the governor said in a news release.
A spokesman for Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, called Diaz's death a botched execution.
"They had to execute him twice," Mark Elliot said. "If Floridians could witness the pain and the agony of the executed man's family, they would end the death penalty."
Defense attorneys and death penalty opponents were outraged over the length of time Diaz took to die.
"I am definitely appalled at what happened. I have no doubt he suffered unduly," Angel Nieves Diaz's attorney, Suzanne Myers Keffer, told the AP.

"I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves." — Anna Quindlen

I don't want that much organization in my life..I don't want other people thinking for me...- Jimmy Buffett -

Please use correct English. Show the world Americans aren't illiterate.
There, their, they're are different words. Use them properly.
Lose and loose have different meanings.
"Im" and "Ill" mean nothing without the apostrophe.
Capitalization and punctuation are your friends.
Text-speak and hashtags get you into the ignore list.
Commas are NOT your friend when used in large herds......

"They had to execute him twice," Mark Elliot said. "If Floridians could witness the pain and the agony of the executed man's family, they would end the death penalty."
Defense attorneys and death penalty opponents were outraged over the length of time Diaz took to die.
"I am definitely appalled at what happened. I have no doubt he suffered unduly," Angel Nieves Diaz's attorney, Suzanne Myers Keffer, told the AP.

In a faint voice, Diaz proclaimed his innocence in Spanish and criticized the way he was being put to death.
"The death penalty is not only a form of vengeance, but also a cowardly act by humans," he said. "I'm sorry for what is happening to me and my family who have been put through this."

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Not to make light of any of the above I am reminded of when a buddy of mine planned a hog roast. His dad (a farmer) supplied the hog. When we went out to pick up the hog my buddy was to execute it. A .22 pistol was used. At the 1st shot the pig jumped and gave a slight squeal but otherwise showed no sign of having been shot in the head. We all looked at one another.

At the second shot again the pig jumped and gave a slight squeal but otherwise showed no sign of having been shot in the head. We all looked at one another and I think there were a few, "Cripes" and "What the..." muttered.

At the 3rd shot shot again the pig jumped and gave a slight squeal and this time he started drooling. We all looked at one another and there were a few more comments, "I think you got him that time," and "Yaaa...he's drooling pretty good now."

At this point my buddies dad yelled, "Give me that pistol," and my buddy exclaimed, "It's out of bullets."

Well the younger brother had to go up to the house and retrieve more bullets. The pig continued to stand there drooling and every once in awhile would give an oink.

Finally after what seemed an eternity, the gun was reloaded, and my buddies dad leveled the gun point blank into the pigs head at ninety degrees and just like the pig Angel Nieves Diaz above he finally was executed.

Our need for vengence makes suffering on the part of the perpetrator acceptable but how does a 34 minute death ritual measure against the VIIIth amendment? What is the line for "cruel and unusual punishment?

I have no sympathy for Angel Diaz but as someone who believes strongly in all the protections afforded by the Bill of Rights, I wonder how this execution fares.

"The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion."Albert Camus________________________________If I have been of service, if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good, if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and action, if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day. Alex Nobel

If I have managed to get through the day without wishing bodily harm to another human being, if I have gotten through the day without killing a plant, if I have been able to get at least 2 hours of sleep, if I have been able to hide my fangs behind a smile and rain on my heart behind a laugh, it has been a successful day. my evil twin

Our need for vengence makes suffering on the part of the perpetrator acceptable but how does a 34 minute death ritual measure against the VIIIth amendment? What is the line for "cruel and unusual punishment?

I have no sympathy for Angel Diaz but as someone who believes strongly in all the protections afforded by the Bill of Rights, I wonder how this execution fares.

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Good point, very provocative. As most of us truly believe in the bill of rights, and their importance (unlike our leaders), we have to remember not to discard the ones we find disagreeable at the moment. We have to protect speech we despise, even if its from the klan or the nation of islam. We also need to protect the Angel Diaz slime from torture, even if we want that bit of revenge. I don't feel sympathy for him either, but it's part of our rules, no torture.

With that said, Diaz wasn't intentionally tortured, and we could easily excecute people quicker and more efficiently than we do.

"The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion."Albert Camus________________________________If I have been of service, if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good, if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and action, if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day. Alex Nobel

If I have managed to get through the day without wishing bodily harm to another human being, if I have gotten through the day without killing a plant, if I have been able to get at least 2 hours of sleep, if I have been able to hide my fangs behind a smile and rain on my heart behind a laugh, it has been a successful day. my evil twin

I find myself in a quandry with this one as I believe firmly in an eye for an eye but strongly disagree with the States right to execute people. My reasoning for being against capitol punishment isn't to do with moral qualms but rather a distrust of putting that responsibility into the hands of a government that I do not trust, therefore, I would have no problems with an individual being convicted, sentenced, and handed over to the victom to have their moment of satisfaction. I wouldn't even have problems with some of you guys picking up a spare $150.00 to act as the agent of a victom, but when the government is allowed to decide who lives or dies by whatever standard is spin-doctored into the moment, makes me cringe. Therefore, I reccommend that the jury of 12 hence-forth be tasked with acting as firing squad for whoe-ever is sentenced to death; you sentence them, you kill them.

"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the government's purposes are beneficient. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding."
-- Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis

I agree that if he is guilty of a heinous act then he should be executed. That being said, I do know that the 'system' has put innocent people to death because they got railroaded. I don't trust that they aren't just executing someone for mere 'ratings' in the next election. I also see that when it boils down to it, the family of the person who was the victim should have the right to execute or delegate that to someone of their choosing.

As far as cruel and inhumane goes, it has happened before that the prisoner during execution were made to suffer all because some guard had a power trip. Seen the movie The Green Mile? Much akin to not wetting the sponge to make the electricity pass quicker. There is a reasonable need for execution.

Someone kills someone out of spite or hatred, they deserve execution. Then you choose the style of execution. That execution in itself is enough to 'level' the crime. It does not need to be any more painful than it will be. Hang them, shoot them or what have you. That is paid in full. So why should you place strategic shots to extremeties only to let the convict bleed out or hang on in misery until someone puts a round in his head? There is no call for that.

That is why the punishment should fit the crime. Stab someone to death. Then how about dropping the convict into a pit of spikes? It is equal and the convict will suffer the same pain as the victim before expiring. Equal is not inhumane. Shot an old lady. Then you get shot. After all we have to remember, execution is not about getting anything back. I don't care what anyone says, when it comes down to it your loved one will not be coming back when the convict is dead.

It is about reaping the rewards for a crime. Then you also have to keep in mind that this life is not the only punishment they will see.

And by the way, I never deal in .22s when it's time for slaughtering. A .357 will insure the kill the first time. Poor piggy.

"Steal from me and you are automatically enrolled in my weight gain program. Lots of servings of lead to meet your needs."

"It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live." Marcus Aurelius

As I see it the bigest reason for the modern meathods of execution (i.e. electric chair, leathal injection or gas chamber) as opposed to the old standards of hanging, fireing squad, decapitation and such is purely PC. The old standards are quicker and more certian as well as just as painless if not more so but they look worse for the spectators and the executioner has to have amore obvious hand in it. A 5' drop and sudden stop will break the neck and stop the heart and lungs instantly and as a back up crushes the treachia and curotic arteries so that if all else fails the person is unconsious in 2-3 minutes and the brain would die in 10 minutes or less. A fireing squad made up of marksmen fireing for the heart would end life in a few minutes at most, aiming for the head instantly. A ghioteen (sp?) also stops the heart instantly and brain function within 2-3 minutes at most. None of the modern meathods are as quick but they are 'neater' with no blood or mess and so look more 'civilized'.

I say just use the calibur of your chooseing, and if you want to be super sure of its instant effect then have 2 executioners acting at the same time, and shoot the person in the head. If you have a person behind each shoulder fire into the skull with a 12 guage loaded with 00 buckshot then it is quaranteed to instantly end all brain function and body function and get the job done.

As far as the present methods being 'cruel and unusual', I dont realy think they qualify. If it was ment to be cruel and unusual then it could easily take days or longer and be VERY gruesom. While they may not be instant they are not means of torture which IMO is what VIII was ment to prevent.

Do what thy manhood bids thee do, from none but self expect aplause, he noblest lives and noblest dies who makes and keeps his self made laws....